10 replies to this topic

[PeteDCard81]

The James Webb Space Telescope is (finally), as of now, scheduled to be launched on Saturday December 18, 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana.

 

 

NASA has been hosting several pre-launch briefings.

 

On November 2 NASA hosted a Webb Space Telescope Deployment Briefing:

https://www.youtube....7dy7OtI&t=1750s

 

On November 18 NASA hosted a Media briefing on James Webb Space Telescope science goals:
https://www.youtube....h?v=hY2I8WVq9Uo

 

On November 18 NASA hosted a Media briefing on James Webb Space Telescope science instruments:

https://www.youtube....0S1R4wmHc&t=13s

 

 

 

Mark

[BFaucett]

The James Webb Space Telescope is (finally), as of now, scheduled to be launched on Saturday December 18, 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana.

 

...<snip>...

 

NASA nudges James Webb telescope launch date after vibration incident
NASA is investigating a "sudden, unplanned release of a clamp band" that gave the telescope a shake.

Amanda Kooser
Nov. 22, 2021 2:37 p.m. PT

 

"The launch has now been moved to no earlier than Dec. 22 after an incident during launch preparations."

https://www.cnet.com...ation-incident/

 

Launch countdown:

https://jwst.nasa.go.../countdown.html

 

Cheers! Bob F.

[spereira]

Moving to Science, Astronomy & Space Exploration.

 

smp

[sickfish]

"NASA is leading an anomaly review board to investigate and conduct additional testing to determine with certainty that the incident did not damage any part of the telescope. NASA said it will provide an update when the testing is completed at the end of this week. A senior source at the space agency said this testing is currently running ahead of schedule and that, provided some serious issue is not identified, the December 22 launch date should stick."

 

The scope could have problems even before launch.

This rocket has had vibration issues before.

 

"Review board" that sound slow.

[Cali]

Wonderful ...

[bitnick]

// Rant on

How is it possible for them to fail so horribly at these briefings? They're NASA for crying out loud; they should be able to produce 1080p quality video with intelligible audio! Do they spend *all* of their budget on pompous intros? I'm just amazed at how amateurish the production of these briefings is. Just look at https://www.youtube....I8WVq9Uo&t=2412 for instance. If this is indicative of NASA's quality control there is little hope for JWST.

// Rant off

Edited by bitnick, 23 November 2021 - 05:31 PM.

[KiwiObserver]

Those who where in the room during the unplanned event are probably still shaking. 

[sickfish]

// Rant on

How is it possible for them to fail so horribly at these briefings? They're NASA for crying out loud; they should be able to produce 1080p quality video with intelligible audio! Do they spend *all* of their budget on pompous intros? I'm just amazed at how amateurish the production of these briefings is. Just look at https://www.youtube....I8WVq9Uo&t=2412 for instance. If this is indicative of NASA's quality control there is little hope for JWST.

// Rant off

Nothing like SpaceX, they do meetings, online launch coverage with no problems. 

With NASA I see a bunch of guys in white short sleeved shirts with crew cuts over engineering a meeting..

I still like NASA. They should have set it up in a Falcon Heavy from Florida. 

This telescope has a lot of hands working on it.

 

"This is an exceedingly complex process, and there are more than 300 single points of failure aboard the observatory."

[EJN]

I still like NASA. They should have set it up in a Falcon Heavy from Florida.

 

Can't be launched from Florida, orbital inclination is wrong. It requires a launch site near the equator for the proper orbital inclination for insertion into a transfer orbit to the Sun-Earth L2 point.

[sickfish]

Can't be launched from Florida, orbital inclination is wrong. It requires a launch site near the equator for the proper orbital inclination for insertion into a transfer orbit to the Sun-Earth L2 point.

They can launch from Fl. but this flight needs its fuel. 

Out of Florida it would have to head south then do a burn to get it into a helo orbit.

The launch is 5 degrees from the equator, Fl. is 28.

But whatever, so many things have to go right for this scope to work.

I don't think this launch will happen this year. I hope it does, but.

[cuzimthedad]

A dedicated James Webb topic has been started and pinned to the Science page. So all discussion should be moved there and all others related topics are being locked.